The Career
by Meghan Weston
Summary: Astra always knew she would be a part of the 29th Official Hunger Games. But what she didn't know is that her best friend would be joining her, or that theyd be sucked into a group known as the Careers. But what if she wants an alliance with someone else.
1. Astra

**THE CAREER **

**By E. Krieg  
**

**Disclaimer: I, in no way, own the rights to the Hunger Games  
**

**Chapter 1**

**Astra**

**M****y eyes snapped open as the faintest pink glow eliminated the horizon outside the large window in my room. I quickly tore off the silky sheets that were pulled up over my legs and slid myself off of my large bed.**

** I blinked groggily, clearing my blurry vision. My small nightstand clock struck five o'clock and a quiet alarm went off. I smiled. "Beat you again," I said to the clock, standing up and walking over to my closet. **

** I opened the large, oak, double doors to the closet, suddenly engulfed in thousands of colors and fabrics, but walked past all of the expensive clothing to a dark green tank top and dark brown pants. This was an unusual outfit for someone with such a high living standard in District 2 to wear, but I wasn't an ordinary person from District 2.**

** I've been training to be a member in the 29****th**** Official Hunger Games ever since I was eight, and I am seventeen now. That's one thing that most people don't know about District 2; our Hunger Games tributes are chosen at a young age based on strength and skills and are training everyday to go into that arena. If they are not originally chosen, they volunteer to go in the selected person's place. **

** I was chosen when I was eight, along with a boy named Easton, who is a year older than me. One of us is going to win the Games, or at least we're supposed to. **

** I pulled on the tank top and pants, fix a brown belt around my waist, then go look at myself in the mirror. "Morning Astra," I say to my reflection with a small smile. Hastily, I weave my thin, light blonde hair into a braid, and then study myself; my flawless tan skin, deep brown eyes, athletic build, hard arm muscles. I can't help thinking about the fact that tomorrow my face will be on televisions all across Panem. I shudder.**

** To clear my thoughts, I silently fly down the stairs, careful to not wake my parents, and grab an apple from the bowl on the kitchen counter at the base of the stairs. Without breaking pace, I grab the sword and sheath that lean against the front door and head outside, attaching the sword's sheath to my belt.**

** As I cross the fairly large lawn behind my house, ringed by large oak trees, I think about the Games. There will be 23 other kids whose only goal is to make sure I end up dead. And as an added bonus, there will be challenges that the Game Makers are sure to end up giving me in the arena. **

** When I finally reach the large shed that my family has set up as my training area, I notice that someone has beaten me there. "Morning Ms. ****Hoefflin, you're late," the boy, one year older than me, says with a smile.**

** He's tall, a couple inches taller than me, with shaggy black hair and blue-gray eyes. "It's five in the morning Villie, be happy that I got up at all," I reply, my voice edged with laughter. He is my best friend after all; living next door to me since I was 5 and being the only person I talk to besides my parents. **

** Villie rolls his eyes. "Well, come on then," he says to me as I take the sheath off of my belt. I won't be needing it. "I'm not running 4 miles on my own." Villie's my unofficial trainer for the games. Everyday we go out running, practice my sword fighting, and practice all of my survival skills. I smile and together we start our run through our large town, the whole time thinking about the fact that this will be the last time I train with Villie, for tomorrow was the reaping. **


	2. Speak Up

**Chapter 2**

**Speak Up**

**The next morning, I beat my alarm clock again. Not by one or two minute like normal, but by 2 hours. It was the morning of the reaping and I was terrified.**

**Normally, I'm not frightened easily, but the idea of being put into an arena with kids ready to murder you would give anyone the chills. I had always thought about not even volunteering when I was supposed to and just letting some other girl go in my place. A girl had done that three years ago, but had been beaten terribly for not fulfilling her duty. No one ever sees her anymore.**

**No, I'd take my chances in the arena.**

**But there were other things to think about too. What would the opening ceremony and training be like? What questions would I be asked during the interviews? What would the arena be like? I'd seen forests and tundra and even one in the ocean, but what would it be like this year?**

**I looked over at the clock again and realized that I'd been lying in bed for an hour. I quickly slipped out of my bed and walked to the large closet. Instead of going to my usual training clothes, I took a sleek, black dress off of its wooden hanger and slipped it on. The dress was short and tight, showing off my athletic body, strapless, and had an open back. **

**I put on a pair of black flats, then walked out of the closet and over to my mirror. I brushed out my golden blonde hair and let the curls tumble down my back. Then I picked up a gold, metal headband and placed it in my hair. The headband blended with my hair perfectly, and it would be impossible to tell that it was there if there wasn't a faint black outline to the headband. **

**I looked at myself and let out a sigh. How I was going to make it through the Games, I didn't know. Training to kill someone and actually doing it was going to be so different. I quickly pushed the thoughts out of my head and left my room, tiptoeing past my parents' room, I'd see them after the reaping, and down the stairs.**

**I left the house and was surprised to see Villie sitting by the training shed. I slowly made my way over to him. "Hey," I said quietly, and he looked over at me with a small smile. **

"**Hey, how are you doing?" Villie asked me as I sat down next to him. He was dressed up, but not **_**to**_** dressed up. That wasn't like him.**

"**I'm nervous," I answered truthfully. Villie was the only person that I would ever tell that too. I was the next tribute from District 2, I couldn't be nervous. **

**Villie let out a small laugh. "I'd be surprised if you weren't," he said. "I'm nervous and I'm not even going to the Games." I laughed quietly. Somehow, he always seemed to put me in a better mood.**

**I rested my head against his shoulder and sighed. We sat in silence for a few minutes, deep in our own thoughts. Finally, I asked what had always been on my mind. "What if I don't make it back?"**

**Villie looked over at me. "Astra, if anyone's going to make it back from the Games, it's going to be you."**

**When I didn't reply, he stood up and took my hand, pulling me to my feet. "Come on; let's go take a walk before the reaping starts."**

* * *

**The reaping is truthfully one of the most frightening places for any child to be.**

**I remember when I was twelve and I went to my first reaping. You could feel the tension and nervousness of every boy and girl in the whole square. There were hundreds of boys and girls, and even that was just a fraction of the kids in District 2. **

**I watched Oceana Paton, the chaperone for District 2, draw the 2 names, one a boy's the other a girl's, from two large clear spheres filled with slips of paper. I watched as the two tributes made their way up to the stage and walk into the large building where the mayor worked and lived, the whole time being taped so Panem could watch them on television later that night. **

**And I knew that today, that was going to happen to me.**

**It was mid afternoon, and I was standing in the large, roped off area in the square outside of the mayor's home. I was with all of the other 17-year-old girls; near the back of the crowd, but in front off the 18-year-olds. I looked to my right and saw the group of boys, catching Villie's eye in the area with all of the 18-year-ld boys. He gave me a reassuring smile. **

**The murmur of the crowd slowly died as Oceana Paton walked onto the makeshift stage in front of the large building. I looked up at the stage and caught my breath. Oceana was a piece of work. She was dressed in a flowing turquoise dress, with large black boots. Her hair was dyed an interesting sea green and her skin sparkled silver. Even living in District 2, the closest district to the Capitol, I would never understand their fashion. **

"**Well, hello everyone!" Oceana said with a smile. She sounded way to upbeat for someone who was choosing who would be sent to their deaths. "Welcome to the beginning of the 29****th**** Official Hunger Games!"**

**She paused as if waiting for cheers and clapping, but there was no noise from the mass of kids or any of the adults who were also n the square.**

**She looked a little self-conscious. This was only her third time doing this, and she still wasn't very good at it. **

"**Well, I guess I you all are very anxious to know who our two tributes will be this year," she said, and gestured to the two clear spheres next to her. "So without further delay, I'll pick the names."**

**As she made her way to the sphere holding the names of the girls, I felt my heart rate increase. This was it.**

**Oceana reached into a small opening in the sphere and gracefully pulled out a slip of paper. "Evy McBroom," she announced, and all eyes turned towards two 15-year-old girls. They were identical, with short brown hair and dark brown eyes, and I'd only ever known them as the McBroom Twins. **

**Evy's sister, whose name I didn't know, protectively took Evy's arm and looked over to me. My eyes meet hers and I took a deep breath. There was no turning back.**

"**I volunteer to take her place," I said, surprised to see that my voice hadn't cracked or faltered when I said it. Many heads turned towards me and Oceana said, "Excellent, come on up here."**

**I walked past the rows of children, giving Evy and her sister a smile as I passed them. I worked my way up the stairs to the stage. "Hello, what's your name?" Oceana said with a way to happy smile.**

"**Astra, Astra ****Hoefflin," I replied, this time my voice faltering slightly. I looked out over the crowd, seeing hundreds of blank faces looking back at me; some relieved, some worried. I prayed that I didn't look nervous.**

"**It's a pleasure to meet you, Astra," Oceana said as she walked over to the sphere with the boy's names. I watched her as she reached in and gripped another slip of paper. She opened it up and read out, "Villie Nadonski."**

**My heart literally stopped beating.**

**My eyes instantly searched for Easton, the boy chosen to be the boy tribute this year. I spotted him, a tall, lanky boy with a sea of freckles and a tangle of red hair. I waited for him to say something, anything at all.**

**But he was dead silent. **

*Just a quick side note, most chapters should hopefully be this length. The first one was really short, just because I had no idea how to start it.***  
**


	3. Goodbye District 2

**Chapter 3**

**Good-bye District 2**

**I watched in utter horror as my best friend slowly made his way up to the stge. **_**That shouldn't be him, that shouldn't be him, that shouldn't be him! **_**That was all I could think of. I was completely frozen up. **

"**Hello Villlie!" Oceana said with a huge smile as Villie walked up on the stage. I wanted to go over and hit her, but couldn't make myself to move. **

**I saw my own fears reflected in Villie's eyes as he came over to stand next to me. He wasn't meant to be here. **_**I**_** had been the one doing all of the training, not him. **

"**Congratulations you two," Oceana said with a smile. "You are the official tributes for District 2 in the 29****th**** Official Hunger Games." This time I think it was Villie who wanted go over and hit her.**

**Once again, Oceana paused for applause that never came. She cleared her throat and gestured for Villie and me to enter the mayor's home. I still didn't feel like I could move, but Villie grabbed my wrist and gently led me into the building. **

**As we went, I dared to glance back at where I had seen Easton. He was still standing in the same place as before, but this time he looked slightly relieved. I knew he wouldn't look that way if he had seen the Peacekeepers, the people who enforced laws within the districts, who were slowly closing in on his location. I didn't want to think about what might happen to him. **

**As we entered the building, a few more Peacekeepers showed. Villie reluctantly let go of me and the Peacekeepers led us into two different rooms. The rooms were rather small with white walls and black furniture, a couch and a chair. The Peacekeepers left the room and I slowly sank down onto the couch.**

**How could this have happened? **

**Villie was **_**not **_**supposed to be sitting in a room down the hall, waiting to get on a train and be shipped off to the Capitol. **_**Easton**_** should be in that room and Villie should be visiting me, comforting me, saying good-bye. I didn't want to have to fight him. **

**I looked up as the door opened and my parents walked in. I stood up and gave them both a hug. My father, Teague ****Hoefflin, was a tall, clean shaven man, with short brown hair and dark brown eyes that always have a distant look in them. ****Camille Hoefflin, my mother, was much shorter than me and my dad, with long blonde hair, like mine, and bright blue eyes, and she looked to be on the verge of tears. **

**We were a very unsocial family, usually spending the night just sitting in front of a fire and reading, in my case usually survival books. There wasn't much we were able to say to each other, but my parents wished me and Villie luck and we hugged again for a long time. **

**They were the only people I expected to visit me. Of course, normally I would have waited for Villie, but obviously that wasn't going to happen. So, I was very surprised where there was a quiet knock on the door and two girls walked in.**

**Evy McBroom and her sister. **

**They both looked very nervous to be in the room with me, like I was going to be angry or something. We just stood in silence a long time, and then suddenly Evy's sister, I think her name was Kendra, came up and gave me a hug.**

"**Thank you," she breathed, after letting me go. "I know you could have just let Evy go into the Games and not have said anything, like that Easton kid, but I am so grateful that you didn't."**

**Now she looked to be almost in tears. "I wouldn't be able to live without my sister," Kendra said. "I know the Games will be hard for you, especially now, but just know, were both praying that you win."**

**I had stiffened a little, catching some of the meaning behind her words. Yes, it would be hared for me with Villie being in the Games now. Though, I felt a whole lot better knowing that I was helping these two sisters stay together. **

**Kendra and Evy both gave me a hug and whished me luck, and on their way out, Evy commented, "I like you headband, maybe that could be your token in the Games."**

**I never would have thought of that.**

* * *

**Ten minutes later, two Peacekeepers returned. They motioned for me to come out of the room and I did so reluctantly.**

**When I got out I saw Villie was also out there with three more Peacekeepers. Apparently, security was very big in our District. The five Peacekeepers led us outside and we walked for a while until we reached a train station. There was a big silver train waiting for us and the Peacekeepers led us up onto it. **

**Once we were on board, the doors were shut behind us; at it was only moments before I felt the train jerk forward and start going down the rails. I glanced out the window and saw what would probably be my last look at my home.**


	4. Hello Capitol

**Chapter 4**

**Hello Capitol**

**Villie and I stared outside the train window as the Capitol slowly came into view. Large multicolored buildings towered everywhere. Even though we were from District 2 and it was the highest treated district, we had never seen anything like this.**

**Outside we could see people walking, but these people were nothing like what we had ever seen before. Green skin, purple hair, someone even looked like a cat. Who would change themselves like that?**

**Villie looked over at me. "Man, I never thought the Capitol was this…messed up," he muttered quietly, making sure no one on the train could hear him. I nodded in agreement. **

**Our train ride had been a rather short one, District 2 being so close to the Capitol. I was still wearing my black dress from the reaping, though I really wanted to change out of it.**

**While aboard, we had met up with Oceana, along with our mentors, who would train us and help us through the Games, since they had both at one time been victorious. **

"**Hello Astra, Villie," Oceana had said, soon after the train had departed and we had met in one of the train compartments to eat dinner. I nodded in reply and sat down on the far end of the table, away from Oceana. Villie sat down on my right side. "I'm glad you could join us!"**

_**I'm sure not, **_**I thought, sitting upright in my chair and crossing my legs. No way was I going to show these people how nervous I was.**

"**I'd like you to meet Fauna and Glade," Oceana continued, gesturing to the man and woman who were seated next to her. Instantly, I took in their appearances.**

**Glade was a tall, muscular man, who looked to be about 20. He had wavy, black hair that sometimes fell into his jade green eyes. He was tan and had what looked to be a permanent scowl on his face. I remembered watching him win three years ago and I remembered how vicious he had been, not even hesitating to slaughter another tribute. Personally, I was glad that he was going to be Villie's mentor, and not mine.**

**Fauna was a rather short, young girl, probably only 19. She had won the games five years ago when she was 14, which was an amazing accomplishment. Her hair was a dark auburn that tumbled down to her shoulders in large, defined curls, and she had blue-green eyes that had a nice twinkle to them. Though Fauna was small, she wasn't short of muscle. It's hard to win the games without it. **

**Fauna smiled at both of us. "Hey there, it's nice to meet you," she said, shaking both of our hands over the table. I tried to force myself to give her a small smile back. I didn't have to like Oceana or anyone else from the Capitol, but I should try to get along with Fauna. She was going to make sure I made it through the next few weeks. Plus, she was almost Villie and my age and had also been through the Games. Glade didn't say anything, just swept his gaze of Villie and me. **

**After the quick exchange, someone had placed a bowl of chowder in front of me, which I didn't touch, and Oceana, Fauna, and Glade discussed important matters that meant absolutely nothing to me. **

**The only thing that had caught my attention was the quick mention of our stylists, but apparently we weren't going to get to meet them until tomorrow, when the Opening Ceremonies were. After that, I droned out the rest of the discussion until Villie and I were dismissed. We had gone to the last compartment on the train where we had sat in silence until we reached the Capitol.**

**As the train pulled into a station, Villie and I went over to the compartment with Oceana, Fauna, and Glade in it, and got ready to leave the train and enter the training building, where we would get chances to practice our skills and where we would stay for the next few weeks. **

**I let out a deep breath as the train's doors slid open. A few Peacekeepers appeared and escorted us into the large 13 story building that stood ahead of us. I looked over at Villie. He gave me a small reassuring smile. "It's okay," he whispered to me, seeing my nervous look. **

"**I sure hope it is," I said back. **

* * *

**After having been led up to the 2****nd**** floor of the training building, Villie and I had been shown to our rooms. There, we had changed out of our reaping outfits. I was now in black pants and a gray shirt, sitting on a couch next to Villie with my knees tucked up to my chest, watching the reaping on TV in a dark room. Fauna was sitting on the other side of Villie, and Glade was sitting in a separate chair. **

**First they had shown District 1's tributes. They had both looked strong and powerful. They would definitely be some of our hardest competition in the Games.**

**After District 1, there was District 2; us. **

**I watched Oceana call out Evy's name, me volunteer to take her place, Villie get called, Easton not volunteer, my obvious panicked look, everything.**

**I moaned and put my head in my hands. "I really don't want to have to relive this," I muttered, not looking up at the screen. Villie put his arm around my shoulder. "Please turn it off."**

**Glade spoke for the very first time since I had met him. "If you don't see who you're competing against, it's going to be so much harder to choose who you will try to get alliances with." His voice was rough and had little emotion. Like that helped me feel any better.**

"**What if I don't want to make alliances?" I said curtly, looking up at him with a glare. "What if I want it to be just me and Villie?"**

**Glade shrugged. "The harder it is for you to survive."**

**Villie narrowed his eyes. "Why should we trust any of these other tributes?" he asked, gesturing to the TV where District 3's tributes were being chosen. "They'll end up killing us quicker."**

**Fauna spoke up. "Sometimes it's better to have a little backup for awhile," she said quietly, "until you no longer need it."**

**I leaned back against the couch, remembering her games. She had spent a lot of time with the boy from District 6, until he had been killed by the girl from District 1. In the end, it had been Fauna against her. Even if the girl from District 1 hadn't killed him, I guessed Fauna would have done it at one point. **

**Neither Villie nor I said anything after that and we sat back and watched the rest of the reaping, listening to Glade and Fauna talk about who would make good allies and who we should try to get rid of as quickly as we could. **

**Though secretly, I had decided that I would choose who I would ally with, if I allied with anyone. **

**Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter, I've been very busy lately. Hopefully, the next chapter won't take nearly as long.**


End file.
